GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire in the Canadian Rockies that had prompted 25,000 people to flee has roared into the near-deserted town of Jasper, causing devastating damage.
There were no immediate reports of injuries, and officials said it was too early to confirm how many houses were burned.
But Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said in a letter to residents on the town’s website that the wildfire "ravaged our beloved community.”
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Wildfires near Canada's Jasper National Park prompt evacuation order
Jasper National Park Park officials say the fire entered the southern edge of the community Wednesday evening.
The town’s 5,000 residents — along with 20,000 more park visitors — fled on short notice late Monday night and on Tuesday when the fires flared up.
Photos and videos shared on social media overnight Monday through Tuesday showed a midnight cavalcade of bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks, headlights on, red tail lights glowing, cars inching, stopping, starting, crawling through swirling tendrils of acrid smoke, all trying to get out of Jasper National Park and the Jasper townsite.
The park — situated in the province of Alberta and about 370 km (192 miles) west of the provincial capital city of Edmonton — is popular among tourists and known for its campgrounds and extensive trail networks.
In recent weeks, Alberta has been baking under scorching temperatures, forcing another 7,500 people out in a string of remote communities.
Parks Canada — which manages the country’s 48 National Parks — said evacuations had been carried out at numerous campgrounds, as well as the Athabasca Hostel and the Palisades Stewardship and Education Centre.
A record number of wildfires in 2023 forced more than 235,000 people across Canada to evacuate and sent thick smoke into parts of the U.S., prompting hazy skies and health advisories in multiple U.S. cities.
Canada's 2023 wildfires spewed far more heat-trapping gas than planes, researchers said. Learn more in the video below.